Results of HSE's 1996/97 feasibility study

Contents

The Government has a scheme for ensuring pesticide products
are tested and approved as safe for use before they are put on
the market. As a further check government departments monitor
use, in case of any unexpected adverse health effects of products
on the market.

The aim of this feasibility study was to identify a group of
people who work with pesticides and see if they would be able to
help with this monitoring process.

How was the study done?

HSE based the study on a group of agricultural pesticide users
who have certificates of competence. They had already given
permission for HSE to access information about them on a database
held by the National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC).

The study had two main parts. First, in late 1996, HSE sent
questionnaires to 4000 people on the NPTC database, asking about
their pesticide usage and health. And second, the records of 400
of them were matched with records at the NHS Central Register to
see if their health could be followed up over time

What were the results?

The study concluded that pesticide users on the NPTC database
would be a very good group for basing future research.

Half of the 4000 people in the survey returned the postal
questionnaire, despite its length (20 pages) and the fact that,
for some, it came at a busy time of year.

Over 90 per cent of those who returned questionnaires said
they had used pesticides at some time in their working life. Of
these, three-quarters had used some pesticides in the past
year.

The number and type of pesticides they used varied a lot. For
example, 10 per cent had used more than 30 different products in
the past year. Roughly equal numbers worked in farming, for local
authorities and in other sectors.

Most people said they were prepared to take part in a
follow-up survey and gave consent for HSE to approach their
employers and doctors.

These further surveys took place in 1997, and over 80 per cent
of people responded. The results suggested that individuals
tended to give a fuller account of pesticide usage than their
employers; and that from their records doctors were normally not
able to either confirm or contradict a user's opinion that
pesticides had made them ill.

The second part of the study also went well. The NHS Central
Register successfully matched 99 per cent of the NPTC records HSE
sent to it.

Were there any other
findings?

In the course of investigating the use of the database for
future research, the study also aimed to measure how often
pesticide users felt they were made ill by their work. These
results refer to ill-health which the users themselves thought
was related to pesticide use.

Overall, 5 per cent of current users reported having at least
one symptom in the past year which they thought was caused by
using pesticides at work and about which they had consulted a
doctor. A wider definition, including symptoms thought to be made
worse by pesticides or about which a doctor had not been
consulted, raised this to 15 per cent. Most of the symptoms were
not serious; the most common was headache.

The study also asked users what personal protective equipment
(PPE) they normally wore. Those who wore PPE were less likely to
say they had symptoms related to using pesticides, especially if
they used pesticides a lot.

Finally, the study asked pesticide users about any
'chronic' ill-health conditions they had suffered during
their working life. Initial analysis of these has revealed very
few cases of cancers, nerve problems or 'syndromes'
sometimes thought to be linked to pesticide use.

What is HSE going to do
next?

Following the success of this study, HSE will be taking
several steps to develop the NPTC database for future research
into pesticide users' health.

First, HSE plans to increase the number of people matched at
the NHS Central Register. The eventual aim will be to cover all
the people on the NPTC database who have agreed to co-operate
with HSE.

Second, HSE will run a series of surveys to find out whether
people on the database are current pesticide users and to assess
their past usage. And third, we will set up a new database,
updated with information from the NPTC, the NHS Central Register
and the usage surveys.

We will make this database available, with confidentiality
safeguards, to medical researchers in HSE, other government
departments and outside organisations. They have already
suggested several ideas for research : for example, to look into
any chronic effects of long-term low level exposure to
organophosphate pesticides.

HSE inspectors will continue to expect management and people
working with pesticides to meet the standards required by all
relevant regulations, including those related to the use of PPE
and other risk control measures.

How
do I find out more?

We hope that this leaflet gives the results which are of most
interest to participants in the feasibility study and to other
pesticide users and their employers.

HSE has produced a more detailed report on the results of the
study and plans next year to publish a technical paper containing
further statistical analysis of the results. If you would be
interested in seeing either of these documents, or have other
questions about the results or other issues raised by this
leaflet, please contact the study's freephone
'helpline' number 0800 592450.

The success of this study is due in no small part to the
co-operation of pesticide users and their employers. HSE is
confident that future research - which will also depend on
voluntary participation - will have the benefit of a similar
level of goodwill.

This publication may be freely reproduced, except for
advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. The information
is current at 6/98. Please acknowledge the source as HSE.

Further help:

Further advice can be obtained from HSE offices (see under
Health and Safety Executive in the telephone directory). For
other enquiries
write to HSE's Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3
7HQ.